DAR ES SALAAM: THE World Bank Group (WBG) President, Mr Ajay Banga and African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina have arrived in Tanzania to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit, known as Mission 300.
The summit, taking place today and tomorrow at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam, aims to address Africa’s critical energy challenges and outline a path for sustainable development.
Mr Banga was welcomed at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) yesterday by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Cosato Chumi, representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Other dignitaries present at the airport included the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Dr Natu Mwamba; Tanzania’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr Elsie Kanza; World Bank Tanzania Country Representative, Mr Nathan Belete; and senior government officials. In addition to Mr Banga, other notable attendees include Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio and AfDB President, Dr Adesina.
President Bio, the first African leader to arrive, emphasised Sierra Leone’s commitment to addressing Africa’s energy challenges. Ivory Coast Prime Minister, Robert Beugré Mambé also landed at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohamed, has also arrived to participate in the summit.
She was received at JNIA by Deputy Minister Chumi on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The summit seeks to unite African Heads of State, policymakers and key stakeholders from the energy and financial sectors to explore strategies for delivering reliable, affordable and sustainable energy to 300 million people across Africa by 2030.
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Tanzania has made significant strides in energy development. As of December, last year, electricity generation on the mainland reached 3,169.20 megawatts.
From 2020 to 2024, the government has connected 12,278 out of 12,318 villages to the national power grid, representing an impressive 99.7 per cent of the total number.
In addition, 32,827 hamlets, or about 51 per cent of the country’s total 64,359 hamlets, have been electrified.
The World Bank has played an instrumental role in supporting energy access initiatives across Africa, funding grid expansion, renewable energy projects, minigrids and enabling private sector participation.
These efforts focus on underserved communities and aim to foster sustainable growth.
The summit is set to adopt several transformative agreements, including the Africa Energy Compact, the first phase of National Energy Compacts for 2025–2030 and the Dar es Salaam Declaration on the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit.
Fourteen countries, including Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), are expected to endorse these milestones.
As the host nation, Tanzania is playing a pivotal role in facilitating dialogue and driving solutions for the energy sector.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to welcome delegates and lead discussions on leveraging Africa’s vast natural resources such as solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy to address the continent’s energy deficit.
The summit’s agenda includes strengthening energy security, transitioning to renewables and fostering regional cooperation to build resilient energy infrastructure. With over 600 million Africans lacking electricity and Africa possessing 60 per cent of the world’s best solar resources yet generating only 1 per cent of global solar power, the summit provides a critical platform for innovative solutions.
The event is set to host 25 African Presidents, along with 10 Vice-Presidents, Prime Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers, bringing the total number of top-level leaders to 35.
Attendees include leaders from Algeria, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Sudan and many more. As the summit commences, Dar es Salaam stands as a centre of transformative dialogue.
This event highlights Tanzania’s leadership in renewable energy solutions and its commitment to achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy.
The outcomes of this twoday summit are expected to drive significant progress toward energy accessibility, environmental sustainability and economic growth, marking a milestone in shaping Africa’s energy future.
